Trap



H. THOMPSON.

WAP.

PPUCAON FILED FEB. 2U, IO 1,464,070. Patented Jau. 17, 1922.

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gnou/tto@ Z9 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

vApplication led February 20, 1920. Serial No. 360,130.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HARMoN THOMPSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Muskegon, in the county of Muskegon and State. of Michigan,have invented a new and useful Trap, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention has reference to spring traps, and more particularly tospring traps especially adapted for Acatching relatively small animals,such as rats, rabbits or the like.I

The primary object of the invention iS to provide a trap of thischaracter vhaving means to engage the body of the animal to securelyholdthe saine, thus preventing the animal from releasing itself bytwisting off its foot. v

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter having means for increasing the gripping action of the jaws ofthe trap.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the coinbination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the reciseembodiment of the invention herein isclosed, may be made within thescope of what is claimed, -without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

Referring to the drawing Figure 1 illustrates a plan view of a trapconstructed in accordance with thepresent invention, the trap beingshown in its set position.

Figure 2 illustrates a plan view of the trap, showing the same in itsoperated position.A

Figure 3 illustrates a side elevational view of the trap in its setposition, the same being shown in-dotted lines, in its operatedposition, and o Figure 4 `illustrates a sectional view vtaken on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the reference character 5 designatesthe base or body portion of the trap, to which the jaw support 6 issecured as b means of the wire loops 6', which comprises right angledarms 7, whichare apertured to receive the ends 8 of the jaws 9.

These' jaws 9 are curved to form a circular space, when the jaws are intheir open the free end of one of its the end that position, whichPatented Jan. 17, 1922.

spaceis adapted to accoml modate the treadleI 10 pivotally connected ibetween the ears 11 of the right angle arm i 12, one end of said armbeing apertured to receive the detent 13, which, when the trap is set,overlies one edge of one of the jaws,

are secured in their open securing member 16, by means of which the trapmay be staked or otherwise secured against displacement.

The inner endsof tured to receive the the jaws 9, so that when the traphas been said trigger engaging under carried by the treadle 10 so 4 toprovide opposed arms and to receive the i the spring 15y are aperrightangled ends of Y operated, the resiliency of the metal forming i thespring 15 will cause the arms to move away from each other, with theresult that the arms move the indicated by Figure 2 of the drawing.

The attachment, forming the subject matter of the present length of wirebent end of the loop extending at as at 18, the opposite end of saidloop being bent around the right angled end as at 18 to secure the endsof the loop together.

)Suitable securing means, suoli as wire loops 19, extend throughopenings formed in the base of the trap, and embrace portions jaws tothe position as invention, includes a f to form a loop 17, one rightangles 'of the right' angled endof the loop to secure the loop inoperative end loop lies between the right angled ends of the jaw supportadjacent one end thereof, for purposes to be hereinafter described.

'Supported on vthe right angled end. of the loop,

relation Ion the trap Figure 1 of the rawing, acts to increase .thetension of the coiled spring 20, so that when the trap is tripped, thecoiled spring as=shown, this right angled end of the is a coiled spring20-which has (position as indicated by v moves'the loop portion 17 to aposition as indicated by Figure? 2 of the -drawing to an animal c caughtbetween the jaws 9 of the trap is further held by means of the loopmembers 17 contacting with the body of the animal, thus throwing theanimal to a position to prevent the animal from twisting to effect hisrelease.

In operation, assuming that the trap is set, an animal stepping on thetreadle 1.0 causes the shoulder 14 to release the detent 13. The jaws 9are now moved to a closed position by resiliency of the spring 15together with the tension exerted `to the jaws 9 through the medium ofthe loop 17, which moves to a position as indicated by Figure 2 of thedrawing, when the jaws are moved to their closed positions.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is In a trap, abase having upstanding right angled arms secured thereto, the armshaving openings, curved jaws having their ends positioned within theopenings, a spring member having openings to accommodate one of the`rightangled arms and adapted to engage the jaws to normally urge thesame to closed positions, a detent overlying one of the jaws, meanscontacting with the in the presence of two witnesses.

HARMON THOMPSON.

Witnesses LoREN R. ADAMS, VELMA SERVICE.

